3D Printing
A new way of testing the quality of 3D printing powders has been developed by The National Research Council of Canada in collaboration with AP&C, a GE Additive company.
Using x-ray micro-computed tomography and 3D imaging analysis, very low concentrations of foreign particles can be detected in situations where cross contamination is a concern.
Each individual particle is visualised, with their size, brightness and concentration being measured. The partners say their method will lead to powdered materials being safer, cleaner, and able to produce stronger, more reliable components and believe the process will be particularly helpful in the qualification of recycled materials.
“The competitiveness of 3D printing relies heavily on the capability of machine users to recycle their powders; however, the industry is concerned that foreign particles will be introduced in the feedstock as the powder is recycled,” commented Frederic Larouche, Executive Vice president & CTO, AP&C. “The method we are developing could help confirm that the feedstock maintains the utmost cleanliness during processing. Leveraging our complementary research and development competencies should help speed the development of 3D printing technologies.”
Working with industrial players, their method has been validated with titanium powders suitable for the manufacture of aerospace parts, and soon capabilities will be expanded to test other metal materials, like nickel alloys. The collaborators have also committed to further improving metal powder characterisation methods specific to the 3D printing industry, and are working on the flow of metal powders during printing processes by measuring how spherical and porous particles are. They are doing so in a bid to make additive manufacturing a more attractive option for industrial players.
“We hope this new method will support the industrial adoption of 3D printing and ease its implementation in highly regulated environments, such as the aerospace and medical devices industries,” said Louis-Philippe Lefebvre, Powder Forming Team Lead, Medical Devices Research Centre, National Research Council of Canada. “As a leader with over 30 years of experience in powder metallurgy and additive manufacturing, the National Research Council is pleased to have joined forces with AP&C to improve the reliability of the manufacturing process and metal powder behaviour.”
“Our partnership with the National Research Council, a recognised research organisation with deep expertise in powder metallurgy and materials characterisation, is supporting Advanced Powders & Coatings’ growth and allows us to offer better-integrated solutions to our partners,” added Larouche.
